Reading, writing, math, science and history may be the staples of a solid homeschool curriculum; however, if you really want to get your children excited about learning, consider teaching lessons on subjects that really pique their interest. For example, if your daughter has a passion for fashion, tailor a unit of study that highlights the latest clothing craze.
While cool outfits are typically the most popular focus in a lesson about the fashion industry, they are certainly not the only things worthy of studying. The history of the fashion industry could make for interesting research. A unit on this aspect could include the evolution of fashion styles, such as hemlines and necklines.
Another fun idea is to take a homeschool field trip to a fabric store to get an up close look at different fabrics and the construction of certain clothing items. This hands-on lesson is a simple way to illustrate the difference between various textures and types of textiles. Your students could also learn about creating patterns and making alterations. Depending on how much time you want to devote to this unit, consider having your kids select a pattern, some fabric and a few accessories and teach them how to sew their own shirt, jacket, dress, skirt or other garment.
Before leaving the fabric store, have kids study the color wheel. Once they understand the concept behind the tool, have them experiment with different color schemes and describe the impact certain shades have on designing outfits. You could also have them look at the symbolism associated with various colors and assign them a project which calls for them to make their own color chart featuring hues that accentuate their best qualities.
Finally, a unit on fashion wouldn’t be complete without learning about the world’s top designers. Have your kids research iconic fashion masters, such as Gianni Versace, Coco Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent. You can use DVDs, books and magazines to study the designers’ collections, and discuss what made their various collections so revolutionary.